The congregation of St. Mary’s – Fleeton is represented by sixty entries in the church
directory as published on May 23, 2008. The great majority of the entries are families
but there are as well fifteen individual listings – many of them also with families – they
represent twenty-five percent of the regular attendees.

Though relatively small in number, the parish of St. Mary’s stands out in diversity of
makeup; from age difference (toddlers to super-seniors) to the range of years of
attendance in St. Mary’s church (new-born to succeeding generations of founding
families). The many descendents of St. Mary’s people, though not regular attendees
(possibly on holidays and vacations), are numerous and spread throughout the world.

Our congregation comes from all walks of life; associates of trades, businesses, and
professions to those whose sustenance has been hard-won from the land and sea.
Many are now retired from their productive backgrounds and careers; but ‘retired’
hardly defines our group.
Skills and energies are devoted to widely varying activities throughout the community,
sharing knowledge, expertise, and experience with current generations for the betterment
of all. There are no better examples of effective volunteerism than St. Mary’s Thrift Shop
and the Reedville Fisherman’s Museum. St. Mary’s people give of themselves now and
historically. Church activities, the free clinic, reading partners, meals-on-wheels, pick an
organization or charity utilizing volunteer work and you will find St. Mary’s people involved.
It doesn’t take much in the way of study of Reedville and its past to appreciate that since
its inception the local community, of necessity, has been caring, giving, and sharing; and,
those originals have been steadily joined by all who have chosen the church and the
community as home.

The congregation hails from far and wide; from the Northern Neck, across the country and
across the seas. For some of the ‘Born-heres’, St. Mary’s and surrounding area is and has
always been home; for others with historical and family ties it has been a return to roots.
For the ‘Come-heres’, some at St. Mary’s have a strong connection with things
Episcopalian and an attraction for all that the Northern Neck and this community have to
offer. For others, the quiet freedom and lifestyle is an attraction. The surrounding waters, of
course, is a considerable inducements. There are people who, after multiple stops elsewhere,
chose to retire in the area and St. Mary’s became the church of choice.

"Why St. Mary’s" is an obvious question and the most often heard answer is ‘her people’;
maturity, varying opinions, friends new and old, shared value systems, fond hearts, happy
faces and voices, and caring are some attributes. Openness and welcoming friendliness is the
characterization of the congregation. We are from Hawaii, Connecticut, Oregon, Missouri,
Pennsylvania, California, New York, Washington, D.C., or Canada, England, Germany, or Fleeton.
St. Mary’s people exhibit gracious acceptance as their trademark. Comfortable is an
oft-used descriptive work – and it fits. The congregation sings with exuberance – well and often,
from both the Hymnal and LEVAS.

St. Mary’s people are instilled with feeling for things Episcopal; ritual, ceremony, and common
prayer. Though the majority are of mature age, they remember well, and have a longing for, a
youthful orientation in church activities; the joy of holiday pageantry, Sunday school, and
Summer Bible school.

As much as comfort is a conditioned response of the congregation, there is an abiding desire for
new and different group activities; such as pot-luck suppers, Bible study, group discussions,
guest lectures, and continuing education. Despite, or probably because of, individual success
on the part of many, in past and present careers, group identity is sought-after; individual
attribution is not; people want to promote St. Mary’s and all that it stands for – the common,
the Episcopal, and the Christian good.

Our mission statement:

St. Mary's Fleeton Episcopal Church is a community of faith and fellowship; an open
and welcoming congregation that is nurturing and supporting of one another. We respect
and embrace the various backgrounds and spiritual paths of our congregants and neighbors.

We share our gifts and talents to minister to the needs of our surrounding community
as a reflection of God's grace and unconditional love.